Method of applying finishes to the surfaces of wood or other porous materials



INVENroRs.

2 sheets-'sheet 1 .eww

A. KLAMMT ETAL Filed Jan. 2l, 1942 NON Qu E m HON om .NN GNN NNN h n' l l I I l l l OF WOOD OR'OTHER POROUS MATERIALS ne EN METHOD OF APPLYING FINISHES TO THE SURFAGES` May l, 1945.

Tn Sl Mm MY MW U E. Mw. ,N im R RW o. UE T mm A May l, 1945- A. KLAMMT ET^AL 2,375,113

METHOD OF APPLYING FINISHES TO THE SURFACES 0F wooD oR oTHER'Po'RoUs MATERIALS Filed Jan. 21,* 1942' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ARTHUR KLHMMT the air remaining in the masas May i, 194s iit METHOD F APPLYING FHNSHES T@ THE SURFACES F WOD 0R OTHER POROUS Arthur Klammt, New York, N. Y., and George W. Kretzschmar, Gariicld, N. '3., assignors to W. M. ,Ritter Lumber Company, a corporation ci West Virginia application January 21, i942, sei-iai Na. 427,590

d Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in method of applying ilnishes to the surfaces of wood and other porous materials, and has for a principal object a system of iinishing materials which includes the step of deeply heating the surface of the material to be finished, thereby causing the airiwithinI the pores of the material to expand and the greater part thereof to be driven oi; a second step of applying the nish to said heated surface and spreading the same thereover; and, thirdly, the step of immediately cooling said material, thereby causing the rarified air remaining in the pores to contract, and thereby permitting the pressure in the atmosphere to force the applied' nish deeply into the pores of the material. l

There are many different types of ilnishes adapted to be applied to the surfaces of wood and other porous materials. Some of these. ilnishes are on a vegetable base. some are on a mineral base, and others are on a synthetic base. We have obtained excellent results with tung oil, dehydrated castor OiL'rened linseed oil, and "Bakelite'and other synthetic varnishes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus for moving the material to be iinished along a track and positioning on or about said material as it passes along on said track a series of stations for performing operations sequentially upon the material as it passes., along E conveying the ilooring material to be treated on said track, one'oiv said stations comprising a tunnel includinginfra-red lamps for deeply heating the surface of said material and causing the air in the pores ofthe material to expand and a, partei the same V,to be driven oil, and others of said stations including means 4for applying a nish to the heated surface of said material and for spreading the same thereover, and for applying va blastof cool air to said surface and causing pores of said material to contract and thereby .a further object of the invention is to provision `of a system of nishing the surfaces of flooring and othenwood materials which includes the -steps of subjecting :the surface of said material to the action ofl infra-red lamps for heating the surface of the materiall and the body of the material a substantial distancebeloa' said surface, causing the air Within the pores of said material to expand and the greater part thereof to'be driven on', and the steps of coating said surfaces ^with the liquid nish and cooling the pull the finish deeply into the pores of the material.

same to utilize the partial vacuum createdby 55 said cooling for drawing the liquid into the pores ofsaid material. This method eiects a closer bond, than has heretofore been obtainable, -between the iinishing material and the wood, and therefore produces a more durable nished product.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of this speclilcation.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of one example of apparatus for practicing our invention;

Figure 2 isan elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 i Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the lamp tunnel taken along the lines 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a plan/view of on'e of the trucks for along the trackway;

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the truck shown in Figure t, showing the same positioned on the rails of the trackway;

. Figure 6 is a diagrammatic sketch showing means for applying 'the'nishing iluld to vthe beveled edges of the parquet flooring blocks;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the arrangement for brushing the surfaces of the parquet ilooring blocks after they leave the rotary spreading and polishing members; this view is taken along the vlines 'l-- of Figure li; 4

Figure 8 is an' emerged elevation of the nishapplying meansas seen along the lines 8--8 of Figure l; c

Figure 9 is an elevation of the mechanism of Figure 8 asseen in a plane at right angles thereto; andV Figure l0 is a cross sectional view, taken along the lines id--it of Figure l, and showing one of the material spreaders.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2,; a trackway which i includes 'i' rails 20 and 2i forms a path along which a plurality of trucks, generally designated i by the numeral 22, is moved. g

Turning for a moment to Figures 3, e, and 5,

A with respect to each other that they form parallel rows beneath the grooves 2t formed in the parquet ooring, thereby permitting the air to gain access to the bottom of the ooring within equally `distributed areas.

, At one end of the bed plate 23 is a straight of the parquet floorin "g3 an upstanding flange 29 suitable insulation.

jecting tongue -21 which engages the end groove block 28. At the opposite end of the bed plate has a slot formed therein which engages the external tongue of the parquet flooring 28, there by the block is held in the truck.

Referring to Figure 4, the front or bottom edge of the bed plate 23 is open so that flooring blocks may be pushed into engagement with the tongue 21 and the slot 3|! and pushed into position thereon. At therear (or top) edge an upstanding L- shaped member 3| engages the transverse groove in the parquet flooring block, thereforeY the memibers 26, 29 and 3i rigidlyehpld the flooring block in position on the truck.

. aaron-is flange member 28 which carries an inwardly proon the track-way, and air from the pipe 51 blows away all dust, small shavings, etc., from the surface of the flooring block.

A fter leaving the position 22a and moving to the ien; as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, the trucks enter the tunnel 38, where they are subjected to the heat o f the infra-red lamps, and this heat penetrates a substantial distance into the mate- A rial, thereby causing the air within the poresof Cross members 3l secured to the lower surface of .the bed plate 23 include stub shafts 32l which carry flanged wheels 33. Between the cross members 34 of each member are downwardly projecting studs 35 to which coupling members 26 /are secured for coupling the trucks together to Vform a train. j

between the rails (see lug 31a) .may successively engage these webs.A

Embracing the track is a tunnel, v generally designated by the numeral 38 and which is shown more in detail in Figure 3. This tunnel may con- Asist of an inner metallic wall 39 of generally rec-- tangular cross sectioruland a second outer wall I0 also of generally rectangular cross section. These walls are spaced' apart from each other and the space 4I therebetween" may be filled with Conduite 42 and 43 are mounted on top of the tunnel 38 and nipples and fittings connected thereto-extend into the interior of the tunnel, as shown in Figure 3. The fittings are respectively designated by the numerals I4 and and include sockets forthe infra-red lamps 48 and 41.

Although the two fittings and sockets are described, it will tie-'understood that the tunnel may contain a large number of these infra-red lamps, the number depending upon the length of the tunnel,tthe time the material takes to traverse the tunnel by the desired eeptnof the penetra-- tion of the heat.

Inorder to take care of different grades of material, switches may be provided for controlling the infra-redlamps, so that the operator may -place any desired number in `operation in any desired arrangement, in accordance with the s results desired and the nature of the wood or the like being treated.

The trucks move in the direction of the arrows', and a loading zone may precede the trucks designated by the numeral 22a, so that each truck as it enters the tunnel 3B carries a iooring block to be finished.

A main shaft 48 drives the means for moving the trucks along the track-way and also drives other apparatus to be presently. described. This shaft may carry a pulley 49 which is connected in driven relation to a pulley 50 on the driving motor 5| by. means of a belt 52. A blower' 53 may be directly connected to a drivingmotor', and a second blower may also be connected to said motor, thereby providing a twin airsupply.

A pipe 56 leads from the blower 53, and a branch pipe 51 connected thereto is encounteredv by the trucks when they reach the position 22a the wood to expand. It has been found that a greater portion, of this heated air is driven off and the remainder of the air is in expanded and rareiied form.

As the trucks leave the tunnel, they traverse the zone designated by the numeral 5B, wherein the beveled edges of the flooring are coated with Vfinishing material.

The device i9 for applying the finish ,to said 'beveled edges is`shown iny detail in -Figure 6,

wherein a container 60 carries a body GI of theas the block passes by said wick. The devie 59 is stationary and the wick amply feeds a sucient supply of the finish to thoroughly coat' the -beveled edge as the truck, upon which the block is carried, moves slowly by. One of these devices coats one beveled edge of -the Eblock, and the other .of the devices coatstlfe opposite beveled edge of the block. Theseare the edges which are parallel to the path of movement of the work.

In respect to the beveled edges transverse to the path of movement, the apparatus for treating the natlsurfaces also takes care of these transverse bevels.

' After leaving the acne-58, the trucks traverse a zone designated by the ynumeral Il wherein finish is applied to the sin'facesof the flooring blocks. The apparatus for applying the finishte said surfaces is illustrated diagrammatically in' Figures 8` and 9, wherein a roller 65 has a shaft '66 journalled in opposite sides of a frame member 6l. A roller68 has its shaft 69 also journalled in said frame. The roller 68 extends into a trough TB in which a nishing liquid is maintained at a predeterminedk level li. l

Referring to Figure 2, thelevel of the finishing fluid is maintained, and fresh. fluid is continuously supplied to said trough by means of a clrcular pump 12.- The inlet ofthe pump 12 may have a funnel-shaped conduit .13 connected thereto.

An overflow pipe 'l leads finishing fluid from, the trough 10 to the funnel 13. A pipe 'F5 is connected to the outlet of the pump and delivers the iiuid to the trough 1d, thereby insuring a constant level in said trough of fresh uid. c

yThe roller 68 may be driven from the main shaft te, and as it rotates, the finishing uid on' surface of the flooring blocks, said surface will receive the coating fluid. However, to taire care of the spaces between the flooring block on the one truck and the flooring block on the succeeding truck, the roller is lowered on to the flooring blocks during the time they are beneath the roller and is raised up during the spaces between the block on one truck and the one on the suc.- ceeding truck.

` This may be effected by means of a cam 16 carried on the shaft 11,- which may be driven from the main shaft 48. Engaging the cam- IB is a push-rod 'IS/which is pivotally connected to ered and the process is repeated.

the frame tl at lt. The contour of the cam 'It and its speed of rotation are such that the roller 65 is lowered lncontact with the flooring block as long as the block is traversingthe vertical center line of theroller, and as soon as the block leaves said center line the roller is raised and held in such relation until the succeeding iooring block reaches lthe vertical center line of the roller. At thispoint, the rller is again low- (See Fig. 9.)

The trucks leaving the `zone 68 encounter a zone designated by the numeral 88 (Figures 1 and 2)V where the flooring block-is engaged by a rotary device for spreading the finish over the entire surface of thev flooing block. This rotary.

spreader may consist of a disc 8i carrying a pulley 82 which is belted to an pulley 83 on the shaft d by means of a crossed belt 8a, the direction of rotation being clockwise, as viewed fromabove inFigurel 1. The lower surface of the disc 8| may be coated with a suitable material for spreading the finish over the entire surface of the block.`

'Ihe blower 55 has its outlet connected ltola pipe 85 for leading'the air to points of use. A

branch pipe 86 connected to the pipe 85 discharges air in a zone designated by the numeral 81. v

As soon as the ooring blocks leave the zone "80, and are passing into the zone 81, they encounter the comparatively cool air being discharged from the pipe 86. This cool air causes the more or less rarefied air -remaining in the pores of the material to contract, and thereby the partial vacuum. created within the pores, and the atmospheric pressure from without; forces the finishing fluid into the pores of the wood a substantial distance depending upon the amount of heating and the depth of penetration of the heating.

As the blocks leave the zone 8l, they venter the zone 88 and encounter a second rotary device for spreading the finish from the surface thereof and partially polishing the same. This rotary device may consist of a disc 89 carrying a pulley 8D which is belted to a pulley 8l on the main shaft S8 by means of a -belt 92. This belt is not crossed. and therefore thel disc 89 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from above in Figure 1. y

As the blocks leave the zone 88, they enter a zone 83 wherein the surface is subjected to further cooling by air passing fromv the pipe 85 via the branch pipe 94.

Upon leaving the zone 93, the blocks enter the zone 95 where they'encounter a third rotary device, which may consist of a disc 96 carrying a pulley S1 which is belted by means of a cross belt 98 to a pulley 99 carried on the main shaft 48. Since the belt 98 is crossed, the discBB will rotate in the clockwise direction as viewed 'from above in Figure l.

The ooring blocks leaving the zone 85, next` pass into zone |00, where they are subjected to cold air from the branch |20 which is connected to the pipe 85.

As the blocks leave the zone |00, they a zone il where they are subjected to the action of a series of brushes kWhose movement is so related tothe movement of the trucks along said track-Way that the resultant rubbing action of the brushes is substantially at right angles to the path of movement of the trucks, and the Iiooring blocks carried thereby.

The brushing device, generally designated by pas: into.

the numeral m2, is angularly disposed .witi re spect to the path of travel of said trucks, and the at right angles to the path of movement of the blocks. The device is shown in detail in Figure 7, and consists of a shaft m6 carrying a pair of sprockets in spaced relation to each other, one sprocket being designated by the numeral lill' and the other by the numeral l08. spaced apart from theshaft "It is a shaft, |08, which also carries sprockets H0 and Hl in spaced relation to each other.- A chain H2 spans the sprockets mi and M8, and a second chain H3 spans the sprockets 608 and iii.

Bridge members Hd, H5 and H5- are secured to the chains l l2 and H3 at right angles to said chains. A brush l ll is secured to the bridging cured thereto in the same relation; and likewise bridge member H6 has a brush member H9 selcured thereto 'in the same relation.4

said brushes to traverse the surfaces Vof the blocks substantially at a right angle to the direction of their movement.

After the blocks leave the zone llli, they may then pass into zones wherein the nished mater-ial is dried, and other steps in any desired style of finishing may be applied thereto, but since these steps are no part of the present invention, they need not herein be shown or described.

The applicator and spreading discs 8l and 88 have their lower surfaces coated with material which is'suitable for spreading the nish over the surfaces and generally manipulating the nish thereon, and I have tried several materials for thisrpurpose but nd that cellulose sponge material is ideal for this purpose, especially in view of the fact that it exerts a fairly uniform pressure on the surface, it spreads the nish evenly thereover and it stands the wear better than many other materials and therefore requires replacement at-less frequent intervals.

-The lower surface ofthe disc 86 is preferably covered with a high grade compressed cork which exerts a rubbing action on the surfaces of the blocks, thereby firmly rubbing the finish and nally polishing the surface thereof.

We do not wish to be limited to the specific materials described on the surfaces of the blocks, because it is obvious that many other materials may be used for the purposes described;

By the new and improved method herein described, we are enabled to apply a more deeply seated and longer lasting surface to flooring or the like at a lower cost than heretofore. Many changes may be made by those skilled in the art in the arrangements and steps herein shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of applying nishes to a surface of a member formed of wood which includes the step of deeply heating` that surface of the material to which the finish is to be applied, the step of applying the finish in liquid form to and spreading the same over said heated surface, and the further steps of successively subjecting said material to-blasts of air of lower temperature than said material, subjecting said nish een each i .to the action of infra-red raysfor deeply heating the surface of said material and expanding the air in the pores thereof, the step of lapplying the i'lnish in liquid form to said surface and spreading the same thereover, and the further steps Vof successively subjecting said member to blasts of air of lower temperature than the temperature of said member, subjecting said finish to additional spreading and'rubbing actions each in an alternate direction between each of the points where said material encounters said blasts of air, said member being constantly moved throughout all said steps.

3. The method of applying nishes to the up-v -per surfaces of members formed of wood wherein said members are carried on continuously 'moving means, which includes the step of passing said members through a conned area wherein their upper surfaces are' subjected to the action of infra-red rays for deeplyheating said surfaces and expanding the air in the pores thereof, the ,step of successively applying the finish in liquid form to said surfaces and spreading the same `thereover, and the further steps of subjecting said members to a series of blasts of air at room temperature, and subjecting said nish to additional spreading and rubbing actionsin alternate directions between each of the 4points 'where a blast of air is encountered.

4. The method of applying finishes to the surfaces of parquette flooring blocks wherein said blocks are continuouslyQ moved along a path, which includes the step ofpassing said blocks through a conned area wherein the surfaces of said blocks are subjected to the action of infra-red rays for deeply heating the surfaces thereof and expanding the air in the pores of said blocks, the step of applying the finish in liquid form to the hot surfaces of saidblocks as they leave said area, and the further steps of successively. cooling and rubbing the surfaces of said blocks, first in one direction and thenin another, thereby evenly distributing said finish over the surfaces and causing the air remaining in said pores to contract and pull said iinishing material into the bodies of said blocks.

ARTHUR KLAMMT. GEO. W. KRETZSCHMAR. 

